CVE-2023-53292

Local crash via elevator-switch NULL dereference

Published Sep 16, 2025 · Updated Sep 16, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.19 through 6.4.6 allows local users to crash the system during concurrent I/O scheduler switching. The blk_mq_elv_switch_none function dereferences q->elevator after another elevator switch can set that pointer to NULL despite the earlier sysfs_lock acquisition. Successful exploitation requires low-privileged local access and winning the race; the documented consequence is availability loss rather than data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.19 through 6.4.6 allows local users to crash the system during concurrent I/O scheduler switching. The blk_mq_elv_switch_none function dereferences q->elevator after another elevator switch can set that pointer to NULL despite the earlier sysfs_lock acquisition. Successful exploitation requires low-privileged local access and winning the race; the documented consequence is availability loss rather than data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53292
Published
Sep 16, 2025
Updated
Sep 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <245165658e1c9f95c0fecfe02b9b1ebd30a1198a
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3e977386521b71471e66ec2ba82efdfcc456adf2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <245165658e1c9f95c0fecfe02b9b1ebd30a1198a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3e977386521b71471e66ec2ba82efdfcc456adf2

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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